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Missouri appeals court rules against ballot summary language that described ‘dangerous’ abortions

Oct 31, 2023 | 4:57 PM

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri appeals court on Tuesday ruled against Republican-written summaries that described several abortion-rights amendments as allowing “dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth.”

A three-judge panel on the Western District Court of Appeals found the summaries written by Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is running for governor in 2024, are politically partisan.

The judges largely upheld summaries that were rewritten by a lower court judge to be more impartial.

Ballot summaries are used on Missouri ballots to help voters understand sometimes lengthy and complex constitutional amendments and policy changes.